film trivia 35 J.J. Abrams Star Trek Facts That Will Blow Your Mind

J.J. Abrams's Star Trek movies reinvigorated not just the Star Trek films, but science fiction films as a whole. They brought sci-fi boldly into the mainstream and they operate as purely action films just as much as they do hardcore geek spectacles. These movies were nerdy, geeky, and fun, but also approachable enough to attract newbies and make millions. Star Trek Into Darkness isn't just the most expensive Star Trek to date, it's also the most profitable, and for good reason.

The first film was simply named, Star Trek (no numbers, no subtitle), to imply you didn't need to see the others to enjoy it (but if you were already a fan there was plenty to be excited about). They impressed the masses by introducing a new storyline and a new cast of actors (that actually worked) as a sort of alternate timeline to the originals. They created a prequel/sequel/reboot and most remakes have been trying to replicate that, most unsuccessfully, ever since.

The Star Trek movies managed to sneak in nerdy inside jokes and so many deep geek easter eggs that we thought they deserve to be brought to light. Special care went into making these movies and that needs to be appreciated. These are the coolest facts you may not know about the J.J. Abrams Star Trek films, upvote those you find the most interesting.

1

Simon Pegg Never Even Auditioned

Photo: via TwitterSimon Pegg didn't audition for his part - he simply received an email from J.J. Abrams asking if he'd like to play Scotty. Pegg said he would have done it for free, or even paid Abrams to be in the movie if he wasn't offered a part.

The Original Star Trek Creator's Wife Played Multiple Roles

Photo: via Wikimedia

Majel Barrett, the wife of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, is the voice of the Enterprise computer. She was also the computer voice in Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in 1993 and Star Trek: Voyager in 1995. She also played Pike's first officer in Star Trek: The Cage (1986).

She completed her voiceover work from her home, two weeks before her death on December 18, 2008.

3

The Attention to Detail Is Spot On

Photo: via Imgur

For example: the crew on the U.S.S. Kelvin use communicators that were of the same style used on the original series. You can see this when the engineer comes into frame and when Kirk's wife is contacting him during the evacuation of the Kelvin.

But then after Nero changes the time line and starts the alternate universe the communicators change drastically.

Uhura Is Finally, Officially, Given Her First On-Screen First Name

Photo: via RedditWhile most Trekkies will have known this detail for decades, this is the first time that Uhura has been given a first name on screen: Nyota. Gene Roddenberry never came up with a first name for her while Star Trek(1966) was in production. A few years later, someone pointed out to him that Nyota is the Swahili word for star, and the name Nyota Uhura is often used in printed Star Trek literature, including the DC Comics publication "Who's Who in Star Trek".

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